Liberal senator says he should be criminally charged and prosecuted
A University of Toronto-Mississauga student who is under investigation for internet postings that appear to promote killing Canadian soldiers in Canada should be criminally charged and prosecuted, says the chairman of the Senate National Security and Defence Committee.
The National Post reported Wednesday that Bangladeshi-Canadian Salman Hossain is being probed by the RCMP in relation to online postings where he writes that it is “legitimate” to kill Canadian soldiers at home and that such actions are “well deserved.”
The university student was advised in September by the RCMP that he is being investigated for possible incitement and the facilitation of terrorism. No charges have, as of yet, been forthcoming.
Liberal Senator Colin Kenny said Thursday the law should be changed if Hossain cannot be convicted under current legislation.
“If he survived a court test I think that’s fine. We’ve cleared something up and as Parliamentarians we know where we stand and whether we need to adjust the law or not,” he said, according to Friday’s National Post. “I don’t think that any free speech case is going to be a slam dunk and I am surprised that the Crown is setting that high a standard before they will undertake a prosecution.”
There are no provisions in Canada’s Anti-Terrorism Act to deal with incitement to terrorism.
Hossain first came to the attention of the RCMP after a plot to bomb Ram Stein Air Base and Frankfurt International Airport in Germany was uncovered, leading to the arrest of three Islamic militants. The day of their arrest, Hossain applauded the bomp plotters on a website based out of Toronto.
“I hope the German brothers were gonna blow up US-German bases in their country. We should do that here in Canada as well. Kill as many western soldiers as well so that they think twice before entering foreign countries on behalf of their Jew masters,” he wrote.
Hossain has also written: “Canadian soldiers in Canadian soil who are training to go to Afghanistan or Iraq are legitimate targets to be killed. Now it is POSSIBLE AND LEGITIMATE!! … believe me, if we could have enough of our soldiers killed, then we’d be forced to withdrawn from Afghanistan.”
Jews have also figured prominently in Hossain`s postings.
“When do I get to shoot a few Jews down for attempting to blow up dozens of mosques in America right after 9-11…why f—ing target the Americans when the Jews are better?”
While the Anti Terrorism Act does not address incitement, Canada’s has hate propaganda legislation which Minister of Public Safety Stockwell Day alluded to in his response to Hossain`s comments.
“The promotion of hate and violence has no place in Canadian society, and it is an offence under the Criminal Code . . . Our government carefully balances the right to freedom of expression with our duty to protect Canadians from harm,” the minister said.
Despite the investigation Hossain has continued to advocate violence against Canadian soldiers, arguing he has a right to free speech.